Alcoholics love their booze, chocoholics love their chocolates and I doubt it's because the formula of making booze has changed or the chocolatiers add interesting twists and bursting new flavours all the time. Sometimes… certain types of things are just good despite any changing or pioneering; as long as it's done right. What we have here today is long running US Thrash Death metallers Deceased's latest album Surreal Overdose and to these ears, they sure have done it right despite sticking to a formula that definitely won't score any points in originality.

For those not too familiar with the band, they play a very energetic brand of Thrash Death metal. You know, it's like the whole band are on steroids and sound pissed off enough to give the impression that they have bloody issues with just about everything. Obviously, they deal with these issues in the most violent and blistering manner. Then here's the catch… they've been over dosing on happy pills as well, hence the extra energy and also, a healthy dose of melody that makes the whole package a lot more memorable with almost a rock 'n' roll edge among the blitz.

Problem is, this album, as presented by the cover and lyrically speaking is meant to be more menacing and the band tries to do this by throwing in the occasional samples of tortured women and the ilk in the background of the music, but I guess such atmospheric gestures didn't quite work as anticipated since I am quite indifferent towards them. Furthermore, if you don't listen to the album enough times, it does get a bit challenging to remember which track is which as they lack the individual sprinkle of brilliance.

That being said, and going back to the first paragraph, this is still a very enjoyable album that's no-frills and unpretentious, which is exactly what some of us look for at least every now and again.